Anawim Housing Partners With The Beacon on Recovery Center

Nov 2

Des Moines, IA 4/18/22 — Anawim Housing and The Beacon have partnered to establish a new non-profit organization that will expand pathways to recovery for people affected by substance use: Full Circle Recovery Community Center (Full Circle RCC).

The Iowa Department of Public Health has awarded $4.5 million for this project. Full Circle RCC will function as a recovery resource at three centers located in Des Moines, Sioux City, and Council Bluffs and will be governed by representatives of local communities in recovery. Through peer-based recovery support services, Full Circle RCC will utilize evidenced-based practices, public education, and policy advocacy to achieve its mission. Full Circle Recovery Community Center is not a treatment center; it offers emotional, informational, and practical supports for individuals and families who are affected by substance use.

“Homelessness, incarceration, trauma and addiction are deeply intertwined and oftentimes rooted in systems of inequity and generational poverty. Connection and support, especially with peers who have had similar experiences and can share their stories of hope is essential in supporting pathways to recovery. Anawim Housing and The Beacon are committed to investing in evidence-based solutions to solve complex societal problems and our partnership ensures the individuals served by Full Circle Recovery Community Center will receive superior services.” -Cynthia Latcham, MPA, Executive Director, Anawim Housing.

Anawim Housing and The Beacon have partnered on this initiative in order to maximize expertise and capacity for serving individuals with substance use disorders. The Beacon and Anawim Housing serve populations that intersect and will benefit from a combined approach rooted in trauma informed and equity based services. The Beacon serves women with histories of incarceration, trauma, domestic violence, and substance use disorder with a focus on wellness, restoration, housing, and employment. Anawim Housing serves those who have experienced homelessness and who very often have histories of complex trauma and resulting substance use. Both populations served by The Beacon and Anawim Housing will benefit from access to peer-based support, substance use support, and housing. Leveraging expertise in both sectors will allow for greater reach to serve people with a substance use disorder and the systems of care that could provide healing and support.

“We are honored to be partnering with such a well-established nonprofit as Anawim Housing for this new initiative. There is often a gap in services for folks who are no longer incarcerated or in substance use treatment but would benefit from community-based support in order to experience connection as an antidote to addiction. Full Circle will facilitate the space and structure needed to establish and maintain these life-giving connections that make life worth living.” –Melissa Vine, MA, LMHC, Executive Director, The Beacon

Full Circle Recovery Community Center will be located in Des Moines, as well as Sioux City and Council Bluffs, and be operational by August 1, 2022.

About Anawim Housing:

Anawim Housing develops stable homes and strengthens communities. From its start as a vision of Sister Stella Neill in 1987, Anawim Housing has become a local leader in affordable housing – working tirelessly to end homelessness and ensure the most vulnerable in our community have a safe place to call home.

Anawim Housing is the largest provider of Permanent Supportive Housing in the state of Iowa – serving over 380 individuals who have a history of homelessness and live with mental illness, a substance abuse disorder, a physical disability, a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS, or are fleeing domestic violence. At Anawim, we believe housing is a human right. Through stable housing, life-saving supportive services, and the opportunity to reconnect with the community, we are breaking the cycle of homelessness and giving households the stability they need to meet their full potential.

About The Beacon:

The Beacon serves adult women in Central Iowa who are experiencing homelessness due to domestic violence, incarceration, or substance use by providing a trauma-informed residential facility and evidence-based programming and support. In our facilities, individuals work with a case manager who supports the clients’ growth in the eight aspects of wellness as defined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): emotional, physical, spiritual, occupational, environmental, social, intellectual, and financial wellness. Specifically, this looks like earning a livable wage in a satisfying career, long-term recovery from addiction, prevention of recidivism, reduction of debt, and improved mental and emotional health.

Each woman served is able to live at The Beacon (located in Sherman Hill) for 6-24 months. Within the house, clients can participate in individual and group mental health counseling, substance use support groups, healthy relationships/domestic violence recovery classes, weekly house meetings, DART transportation education, sexual health education courses, and weekend social activities. Each woman is also connected with community partners to address her individualized needs, such as Courageous Fire for domestic violence recovery, the Evelyn K. Davis Center for financial literacy, Dress for Success for job readiness, and Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation for career development. For more information on The Beacon, check out www.thebeacondm.org.